Aurora Youth Options Physical Address Mailing Address

Transcription

1 Mentor Application Aurora Youth Options Physical Address: 1298 Peoria St., Aurora CO Mailing Address: E. Bethany Drive, Suite 200, Aurora CO P: F: aurorayouthoptions.org

2 Effective Staff and Program Support Referals to Community Resources Strong Mentoring Relationship Develop Life Skills Aurora Youth Options Mentor Program Overview The Aurora Youth Options (AYO) Mentor Program is focused on supporting youth to be successful, living up to their full potential, and thriving. To achieve this goal AYO offers youth a strong one-to-one mentoring relationship with a caring adult volunteer. In addition the program offers youth life skills development, referrals to pro-social activities and services within the community, coaching and relationship support guidance from our qualified staff and monthly program support. As a mentor in the AYO program you will learn to support your mentee with the Thrive Model of Positive Youth Development and will offer a youth a Developmental Relationship (information on these two evidence based practices can be found on the following pages). AYO believes youth who believe in themselves will set high goals for themselves. A mentor seeks to help youth see and understand their individual potential and feel comfortable growing where they are planted. Matching based on interests. Monthly Life Skills Converstation and Activity AYO Mentoring Meet twice Life a Skills month. Program Supportive Mentor: nonjudgemental, build relationship, coach and advocate AYO strongly encourages matches to volunteer together once a year. Work with youth to set goals for the match relationship and for their life. Thriving Youth Interviews, background screening, training and mentor support events. Monthly feedback, coaching and ongoing support as needed Ongoing needs assesment of youth Referrals to resources in the community to support youth needs Thrive Model of Youth Referrals can include: academic support, family leadership, college and career support and prosocial resouces

3 AYO Mentoring Life Skills Program The AYO Mentor Program works to offer youth an environment where life skills can be discovered and practiced. The greatest opportunity that AYO can offer is a mentoring relationship with a caring adult. To further support the match relationship, AYO offers the match intentional conversation starters and skillbuilding activities to strengthen the relationship and promote life skills learning. As a mentor you are asked to engage with your mentee in the Life Skill Conversation each month. Life Skills Conversation can come in many different forms such as several questions to start a conversation, an engaging activity or resources to explore together. Each month AYO will provide a topic and suggested conversation. Feel free to adjust the conversation to the needs of your mentee and you re encouraged to incorporate your own knowledge and experiences. Life Skills Conversations SELF: Who Am I? January Values & Volunteerism February Understanding Your Personality March Identifying Your Interests & Skills April Appreciating Your Accomplishments & Assessing Your Confidence WORLD: Where Am I Going? May Where Am I? June Where Am I Going? What are My Dreams? July Potential Careers for Me August Understanding My Needs, My Wants & Budgets A youth and her mentor painted this wall. ACTIONS: How Do I Get There? September Choices & the Power of My Decisions October Future Planning: Education, Job Readiness & Skills Building November Setting Goals & Achieving Them December Taking Action & Overcoming Challenges Activities AYO supports matches and life skill development by holding activities for matches to attend or sharing about opportunities in the community. Each month you will receive invites and ideas to support you as you plan your meet ups. Volunteering AYO has experienced and research shows the impact that volunteering has on young people. We strongly encourage matches to volunteer together once a year. For specific ideas of where/when to volunteer, please visit AYO s website. Homework Help and Tutoring Program (HHT) AYO s free HHT offers youth a weekly prosocial environment to receive academic support. Feel free to drop into a session with your youth. HHT is offered every Wednesday at our office: 1298 Peoria St., Aurora CO from 4-6pm.

4 Position Title: Aurora Youth Options Mentor Mentor Volunteer Position Description Manager/Supervisor Title: Mentor Specialist Team: Aurora Youth Options Date Prepared/Revised: May 2017 Essential Functions: 1. Be able to fulfill the following time commitments: Meet with your mentee on average twice a month. Complete the monthly Life Skills Conversation. Use our monthly suggestion or discuss a life skill that is pertinent to your mentee at the time. Attend AYO sponsored activities to receive great activities, support and build relationships with other matches. Make contact with your mentee, by phone or electronically, once weekly. Complete a two year commitment. 2. Complete and pass background check before meeting with youth. 3. Respect the confidential nature of all information pertaining to youth, families, staff and volunteers. Complete HIPAA training (approx. 20 minutes) before meeting with youth and each year during the month of May. 4. Assist mentee in building socialization, communication skills, and self-esteem. Demonstrate confidence and ability to work one-on-one with youth, serving as a role model. 5. Be adaptable and ready to adjust activities to reflect the interest and skill level of mentee. 6. Work cooperatively with youth, program staff and community volunteers in providing youth mentorship programming. 7. Behave as a positive role model in such areas as health and safety, language, conversation, relationship with youth and other adults. 8. Understanding and committing to support the strengths of the youth s family and understanding the role you play as an adult friend/mentor. 9. Complete mentor training and attend mentor support activities. 10. Be able to be in contact with Mentor Specialist monthly. 11. Contacting Mentor Specialist within 48 hours of them reaching out to you. 12. For the safety of the youth and to ensure that the match relationship is stable, if the mentor does not communicate with staff for two consecutive months, staff will be forced to terminate your match. 13. Demonstrate sensitivity to racial, ethnic and social diversity of individuals and family structures. 14. Must be 21 years old or older. 15. Must have reliable transportation. Mentor Signature Date AYO Staff Signature Date

5 AYO Mentoring Program Mentor a youth as described in the Mentor Volunteer Position Description AYO Mentor Program Coordinator Two years from start of mentoring relationship. Aurora Mental Health and Aurora Youth Options do not discriminate against any volunteer or volunteer application on the basis of race, color, national origin (ancestry), gender, sexual orientation or expression, religion (creed), political affiliation citizenship status, ages 40 and over, size, genetic information, marital status or military status or any other status protected by state or local law.

6 References and Other Information References: List three people who can serve as a character reference for you. Only one can be related to you. All references must be individuals you have known for a minimum of 2 years. Reference 1: Name: Relationship and length of time known: City: State: Phone: Reference 2: Name: Relationship and length of time known: City: State: Phone: Reference 3: Name: Relationship and length of time known: City: State: Phone: Age: Do you have children? Yes No Son(s) Age(s) Daughter(s) Age(s) How did you find out about AYO Mentoring Program? Aurora Mental Health Center AYO Website Facebook.com Craigslist.com Flyer, where: Word of Mouth, who: Church, name: Other Aurora Mental Health Center and Aurora Youth Options reserves the right to accept or decline volunteers based on the information gathered. For reasons of confidentiality, Aurora Mental Health Center and Aurora Youth Options will not share this information or reasons of denial with any applicant. By signing this application I certify that the information I have supplied is correct to the best of my knowledge. I give my permission to contact the references provided and to complete a background check.

7 Matching Information Matches are based on personality traits, interests and commitment. It is obvious that the people we feel comfortable around are those with whom we feel we have a connection. People with whom we feel we have a connection are the same people with whom we naturally form and develop a bond. For this reason we ask all mentors and mentees to share information about their interests and skills and to take a simple personality assessment at the time of their interview. Every effort is made to match you with a youth that may have similar interests and personality traits. Some matches are better for different people for different reasons, even if they have similar interests and personality traits. It is important to remember that all relationships take effort, time and commitment.

8 Matching Information Educational Background: Please share your educational background and subject strengths. Work Experience: Please share a brief history of your work experience. Who is your current employer? Volunteer Work Experience: Please share a brief history of your volunteer experience and reason(s) for discontinuing volunteering. Interests: List any special interests, skills or hobbies you have. Besides home, work and school, where do you spend most of your time? Share an idea of a typical week day for you: Share an idea of a typical weekend for you: Have you ever had a mentor? If yes, how did that person impact your life? What do you think the role of a mentor should be? Think back to the stressors you went through as a teenager. What were they and how did you overcome them?